HL 14201 is an interdisciplinary approach to research on the causes, prevention, early diagnosis and management of important pulmonary and respiratory disorders: (1) Idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn (basic mechanisms, causes, prevention, treatment and long-term follow up); (2) Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in adults (possible causes of emphysema, mechanisms of airway obstruction, early diagnosis and treatment of advanced disease); (3) Pulmonary edema (basic mechanisms in causation, early diagnosis and treatment).